Nessa Gets A Good Excuse
by Bounemr
Summary: Nessa needs a break. Raihan is decidedly Not a break, but he does find a way to give her one.


There is a certain ache that people sometimes feel. Not the stinging ache of sore muscles, or that yearning ache in a chest when lovelorn. A deeper, softer ache. One not all that different from coming home after a long, long day knowing there is yet more work to do before the day is done. It's akin to laying down in a fluffy bed, only to immediately remember that the trash needs to be taken out. It's the kind of ache that makes one turn to their vices. Coffee is a good choice.

"Yo, what is _up_, sis?!"

Nessa really wants some coffee right now.

"You will not believe the week I've had. I was so sure that bringing the ghost kid with me to catch new pokémon would make the whole thing trivial, you know? And we'd get some, you know, bonding or whatever. Nah. Get this. The kid ditches me the moment I blink and runs off to a graveyard. A _graveyard_, sis! I ended up with a fraction of the progress I expected, and a whole new head of grey hair, because I spent the whole time trying to make sure that little gremlin didn't kill himself. We barely even spent any time in the wild area, because he kept disappearing."

With the heaviest sigh Nessa is still capable of lifting, she glances away from the clear blue of the water for the blue of Raihan's eyes. "He's a gym leader for a reason, Rai. He may not look it, but he can handle himself. You don't need to worry so much about him."

Raihan rolls his eyes and plops down next to her. Nessa needs to take a deep breath to calm herself. It's not that she doesn't want to see Raihan. She's always happy to see him. It's just that this is her _private_ pier. For the Hulbury gym leader only. The only ones other than her even allowed back here are the maintenance crew and researchers from Wailord Aquaculture – the ones who built this spot in the first place. Nessa is _supposed_ to be able to get peace and quiet here. And she loves Raihan, she really does, but he's anything but peace and quiet.

Raihan throws his head back and sighs contentedly, enjoying her personal peace and quiet. _Rude._ "I know I don't." He says. "But he's still so young, you know? I can't help it. I'm trying to remember when Leon was that age, but that was when _I_ was that age, and I was pretty dumb, then, myself."

"I know."

"Hey! Mean! Don't be mean to your brother, Ness! What would Mum say?"

Nessa just sighs heavily once more and eyes him again. "Yours, or mine?"

"Mine." Raihan grins wickedly. "Mine's nicer."

Nessa rolls her eyes and turns her eyes back to the float bobbing on the surface of the water. Ostensibly, she's also catching more pokémon for her gym. Luckily for her, since she's one of the earlier gyms, her team needs to be quite a bit weaker than Raihan's. That means that even though she has much more pokémon turnover as the years go by, and even within a year, to an extent, she rarely has to go far or to any sort of extreme to catch those pokémon. Trips to the depths of the wild area, or the deep sea, on occasion, are rare and only when Nessa is especially interested in catching strong pokémon for her personal team.

For the most part, she just takes from the stores of pokémon already in the gym's care. It's a water pokémon sanctuary, so they have plenty. Going out and catching is honestly more of a pastime than necessary. But it works for her because she can sit on her private dock and hang onto a fishing rod and say she's working. When her "big brother" isn't bothering her, anyway.

"Well, you're in a mood." Raihan pouts. "What's up?"

"Who let you back here?" Nessa asks.

Raihan shrugs. "Heather told me you were back here, but it's not like the door was locked or anything."

_I should start locking that._ Nessa sighs. _Oh, well. Got to deal with him now._ "You know the names of my trainers?" She asks.

"Why wouldn't I?" Raihan asks, and then he gasps dramatically. "Don't tell me you don't know _my_ trainers' names!"

_Sebastian, Camilla, Aria… _Nessa tugs on her rod a little, just agitating the line. _You talk about them enough. Of course, I know them. _"Why would I? I don't think I've even met most of them."

Raihan snorts but doesn't argue with her. She knows he's thinking the same thing she is. He knows her too well to take her seriously when she denies knowing even his trainers' names. He watches the line, too, for a moment, and lets the waves of the ocean breeze wash over them both. "Seriously, though, what's up?" Raihan asks, breaking the moment. "You seem especially grumpy."

Nessa sighs again, but it's not the heavy one. It's just tired. "Nothing important. Just been a long week."

"Well, tell me about it." Raihan says.

Despite herself, Nessa smiles. She chuckles when she looks over to him. The running joke among the gym leaders, and indeed the whole region, is that Raihan and Nessa are siblings. Nessa certainly understands where the idea comes from. Both are attractive, dark-skinned, blue-eyed trainers of no small skill. She sees what people mean when they mention how she has Raihan's nose, or he has her chin. She knows that people who have known each other – been friends with each other – for as long as they have inevitably pick up little habits and mannerisms from each other that makes an outsider looking in see them as only more similar.

They're not related, of course, but she sees why people think that. And though Raihan is one of the first to tease about the rumors, he also does act a lot like a big brother sometimes. Not that he's actually all that much older than Nessa herself. Just a few months. They even went on their first challenges the same year, even if Nessa never truly met him until the year after that. Still, sometimes he'll find her after a tough week like he knows she's having a hard time of it and look at her all earnestly like this and she wonders if this is what having a brother really is like.

"First off, I had to calm down an ornery gyarados. Damn thing wouldn't let anyone get close enough to patch her up." Nessa says, giving into the temptation to rant.

"Yikes."

"Then Mrs. Wilson's kid kept trying to eat the hooks in class. I swear, I have no idea how he keeps finding the tackle boxes! I don't even keep those in the classroom!" Raihan laughs at that, and though Nessa doesn't blame him – with no one having gotten hurt – she still glares weakly at him. "And the aquaculture company did their census this week, too, so I had to deal with them running around everywhere." She continues. "And on top of that, Rachel moves to Circhester this week, so I've been scrambling to fill her spot at the gym. Not to mention all my work trying to prep my own team for next season."

"Rachel's moving?" Raihan asks, seemingly stunned a little. "You mentioned you were losing a trainer, but Rachel? Man, you really are having a rough week."

"Ugh, I know." Nessa leans back, and then, with nothing behind her to support her, she just leans sideways onto Raihan.

Raihan hums a little. "I like Rachel." It sounds like a whine when he says it. "We'll have to visit her sometime once she gets settled in. Do Melony and Gordie know she's coming?"

"Yeah. She's actually going to do some research on Route Nine, so she won't be working for them, but I asked Melony to keep an eye on her."

"Ha. Don't let her hear about that. She'll think you don't believe in her."

Nessa rolls her eyes and smacks Raihan's chest lightly. "No, she won't. She knows she's the best I've got." Nessa chuckles. "Though, the climate is quite different there."

"Aha, there it is." Raihan leans in close to her to tease her. "You're all worried about her."

"She's more than capable of handling herself."

"Still. It's okay, no one blames you for being a mother hen. We all love that about you."

"Shut up, dork." Nessa lifts off him when she feels a tension on her line. Focused now, she gives it an experimental tug.

"Look, all I'm saying is you do-"

"No, shut up." Nessa snaps, serious now. She changes her grip on the rod, a firm one now over the loose hold she had before. She pulls, and feels the corners of her lips pull up, and slackens. _Not enormous, but not tiny. Doesn't feel like anything special._ That, of course, relative to her greatest catches. Of which, Nessa has quite a few, thank you very much. In truth, an ordinary catch is good for her. She's only the second gym, after all.

"Ooh, a catch! I must be lucky for you." Raihan moves back, knowing better than to try to interrupt her at work, and settles for calling out encouragements and cheering for her over interfering.

The firm grip in her hands. The whizzing of the reel. Tension. The call of the sea. The tug of the pokémon trying to drag her into it. This is why Nessa loves fishing.

As predicted, her catch this time isn't anything special. Raihan will probably exaggerate like Nessa's dad likes to when he tells the story of today, but really that's expected of fishermen. Nessa herself would be hypocritical to try to stop him. But the truth of the catch is that it's a basculin ordinary in practically every way. Basculin isn't too uncommon, though it is at least different than the huge schools of arrowcuda around Hulbury.

It's nothing impressive, but it doesn't need to be. Nessa knows Heather is looking for a basculin, and this one seems appropriate enough for the gym mission. A little feisty, but nothing Heather can't handle. So, she decides to catch it. _Why not?_ She'll let Heather see if she likes it, and if not, it can either be released or added to the gym's care. After the standard biometrics are taken and all that, of course.

"Aw, yeah! Good job, sis!"

Nessa has to laugh. Catching a random, unimpressive basculin is no achievement. Still, it does bring her gym a little closer to being ready for next season, and that's a good thing.

When she looks over to Raihan, he's got his phone out. That doesn't surprise her one bit. She knows he's already posting an action shot of her catching the basculin. Probably with a bunch of doting praise in the description. So predictable.

With Raihan here, though, there isn't much point in casting her line again. He surely has come for a reason. They're close, yes, but not so close that they take whole trips out to each other's cities just to complain about a rough couple days. That would be ridiculous, even for Raihan. Hammerlocke to Hulbury is no small distance, after all. So, with her catch for the day, meager as it may be, Nessa begins to put her fishing rod away. "So, did you need something, or did you just come to bother your favorite sister?" Nessa asks.

"It can be both." Raihan replies instantly. "Actually, I was hoping you could help me out with this."

Nessa glances at his phone, turned out to her, and wrinkles her nose at what she sees there. As she examines the screen, Raihan swipes back and forth between two pictures a few times, both of them of him in different swimsuits.

"If you want to swim," Nessa says, "you could just steal one of our uniforms." With Raihan tailing her, she starts to head back down the pier, towards the gym. "And if you want fashion advice, you could have just texted."

Raihan makes a weird whining noise. Some complaint. Nessa rolls her eyes. "But I have to look good! I know we wear our uniforms everywhere, but you have to admit they aren't the pinnacle of fashion."

"Doesn't stop you from your dragon cosplay."

Raihan snorts loudly. "Look, sis. The suit is for a dive. Check this out. I found it in the vault last week. Been texting Sonia about it non-stop since then." Raihan swipes his phone screen again and holds it out for Nessa to see. Some sort of statuary, Nessa figures. "I can't believe no one noticed this thing before! Do you know what this is?!"

Not at all. Nessa isn't much of a history girl. It's an old statue. Maybe of a pokémon? That's about as much as Nessa can glean from it. "No."

Raihan's eyes glitter as he goes into extensive detail on what exactly this teeny little overlooked relic supposedly is. Nessa… doesn't honestly pay that much attention. She's listening, of course, but as she guides them to a bench to sit Raihan just keeps talking and talking about his and Sonia's and Professor Magnolia's theories and… Nessa thinks she'd like that coffee again.

But she does pick up what he's actually doing in Hulbury, though. A dive in the ocean, a bit north from here, looking for more relics where this old one was supposedly found. Nessa rolls her eyes. "You don't need to worry about your swimsuit color at all when you're wearing a wetsuit, bro."

"Well, _I'll_ know." Raihan says.

Nessa sighs. "The orange one. It's more on-brand."

"Sweet. Thanks." Raihan grins and returns momentarily to his phone. "By the way, my boat? Kind of a mess." Nessa makes a face at the very thought. "The plan was to send a whole expedition out, but really this is just a little pet project of mine, so I've mainly been heading this on my own. I met the guy who's supposed to sail me out there this morning. He was drunk. Like, he fell into the sea drunk. So, uh, yeah, I'm looking for another ride. Any suggestions?"

Nessa sighs again. "It wasn't Mr. MacArthur, was it?"

"It was! How'd you know?"

"Ugh, yeah, good call cancelling that." Nessa shakes her head. "He's a bit infamous around here. When were you planning on going?"

"Today. But I can stick around for a few days if I got to."

Right, well, Nessa isn't about to leave Raihan out to dry. He needs a boat? Fine. Nessa needs a break from the city. The open ocean is as good a place to get it as any. Nessa stands and nods resolutely. "Send me the coordinates and go get ready. I'll get everything arranged for you."

Nessa can see the light appear in Raihan's eyes. "Sure thing! You're not planning on sailing me out yourself, are you? You going to dive with me?"

"Why not?" It's not like Nessa hasn't been on similar expeditions before. She's a fisher more than a diver, but as Galar's resident water-type expert, she's often called in anywhere water pokémon will be found. That includes _under_ the water. She has her fair share of experience.

"Yes! Aw, this is awesome! I'm going to run and grab my trunks. I'll be back as soon as I can!"

Nessa shakes her head, sighs, and follows at a more reasonable pace towards the gym. Inside, she lets everyone know what's going on and has one of her trainers who'll tag along, Lynn, take up navigation and start plotting their course while Nessa herself heads back out to the pier to prepare her boat.

It's just a fishing boat, really. Most days she sails, but it's got a motor, too. But Raihan's coordinates aren't too far out, so they don't need anything fancier than this.

The call of the sea. To Nessa, there isn't anything quite like it. She supposes it's just a natural part of being a fisherman's daughter. She's been on the sea since she was just a babe, and now it's just a part of her. She acts a little curt with Raihan, she knows, but that's just because she likes teasing him. The truth is, she's really glad he's come. He can always pick her up, and now he's even giving her an excuse to sail away to another adventure on the open ocean. It's been a while since she's sailed with Raihan, too. They should do this together more often.

Salty spray in her hair, the familiar call of the wingull. It's an ache that she feels, deep in her heart. An endlessly deep, tidal ache that laps at her, pulling and pushing but always dragging her a little more and more out to sea. But that's perfectly okay with her. That's what makes her the water-type expert that she is.

* * *

Some people don't believe that Nessa the model and Nessa the gym leader is actually the same person, or so she's been told. She acts differently, apparently. Nessa doesn't get it. _Of course_, she acts differently. Who in their right mind would act the same in the middle of a pokémon battle as they would on the runway? Nessa is simply the kind of person who puts her all into everything she does. If she needs to look pretty and smile for the camera, then she will do it for as long as she needs to. If she needs to wash away her competition, she's more than happy to oblige.

There's no point in doing things halfway. If she half-casts her line, she'll never catch anything. She's a model, a gym leader, a fisher, a sailor, a water-type master, a rival, and a friend. With Raihan, she's even somehow become a sister. None of that is any different Nessa, it's just her. She knows who she is.

Maybe that's why she keeps coming here. Or maybe it's the way the sun reflects off twirled hair, or the adorably light laugh Nessa sometimes gets to witness.

"Nessa!" Nessa smiles wide and moves the bags she's holding out of the way for what she knows is coming. Every visit, without fail, Sonia immediately throws herself into Nessa's arms. It's been this way for years. "It's so good to see you!"

"Good to see you, too, Sonia." Nessa says, hugging Sonia tightly with her free hand. Sonia has always been so warm. Maybe it's just because Nessa is used to a bit of a chill, with her uniform not doing much to protect her from the cold, but even if that is the case Sonia's hugs are still the warmest. Some of that heat may, admittedly, come from Nessa, though, to be fair. "I brought your favorite." Fresh seafood, or as fresh as it can be in Wedgehurst. Hulbury isn't close, but if Nessa hurries, and the flying taxi is swift, and it's packaged correctly, it's still warm when Sonia gets it.

It's always packaged correctly. Nessa has this down to a science, now.

Sonia squeals excitedly. "Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you! You're the best, Ness!"

Nessa chuckles, letting Sonia take the bag from her hand. "I know." She says. "I also brought this for you." She pulls her backpack off and unzips it to pull out a hard case.

Sonia eyes the case with a familiar gleam in her eye. "Is that…?"

"Spoils from diving with Rai, yeah. He said you'd want to take a look at these."

"Gran'll love these! Thank you so much for bringing them!"

"Anytime." Nessa smiles at Sonia and follows her into the house and everything is so familiar. Nessa shouldn't have this tightness in her chest, these nerves twitching all through her. But she shouldn't have had them the last hundred times she's stopped by Sonia's place, either. Even that frustration at the undertow of her own emotions pulling her under is familiar.

She doesn't need an invitation to step inside. Sonia just scrambles back to the kitchen and Nessa steps in, closing the door behind her. Nessa finds a place to put the case in her hands before dumping her bag up in Sonia's room. When she comes back downstairs, there's two plates of seafood set out. Nessa doesn't need to say anything when she steps over to take her seat next to Sonia and to start eating, too. She always brings food for Sonia, because she knows Sonia loves Hulbury's seafood, and it's stupid because as fresh as it is and as carefully preserved as it is, Nessa knows the food is objectively better if it's eaten at the restaurant in Hulbury. Yet Nessa keeps bringing it, because it always tastes just a little better here anyway.

She'll have to thank Raihan for this excuse. Not that she always _needs_ one, but excuses make it less awkward to make more frequent stops. Nessa always stops by when she can, but it's rare to just be in the neighborhood of little Wedgehurst. There's nothing really calling her here. It's pretty irrelevant to the gym challenge, except for trainers who want access to the pokédex, it's not exactly a fashion center of Galar, and it's further _away_ from the sea than Nessa's own home. Her work doesn't bring her here. The call of the sea deep in her bones actively protests coming here to this little landlocked town. But her heart certainly knows where it belongs. Nessa knows where she belongs.

Not in Wedgehurst, necessarily, but with the people who call Wedgehurst home. And she uses caution, because she can know herself as much as she likes and she can be confident as ever in where she stands, but she can only control herself, not the girl who makes her feel like she's home. To make a person home is a dangerous game because a person, no matter how reliable, will never be the solid foundation that concrete is. But Nessa's foundation has always been the water, so a little swaying… well, that only makes her even more comfortable.

By all rights, Raihan should be the one here. He would have a blast, too, geeking out about history with Sonia and the professor. All Nessa can really do is share a meal with them and act as a delivery girl. Still, Raihan is a bit of home, too, and he bought Nessa her cab with that knowing, cheeky grin of his. That plan in his head leading to some faraway conclusion Nessa has never quite been able to keep up with. But that's how it always has been with them. That's just who they are. Raihan is the kind of person that thinks ahead and uses his power to force things along the path he sees. Nessa is similarly powerful, but though a flood does carve the earth, its true nature is to bend around what resists it. Raihan _creates_ the storm; Nessa sails through it.

Nessa knows why Raihan sends her here in his stead, and she's certainly not mad about it. He sends her here because he knows that Nessa will use any excuse she can find. Any reason to come here to Sonia's bright, bright smile, the excited yipping of her yamper (he likes to pretend he's harmless. Nessa still remembers the little guy in battle, all those years ago when she met Sonia on their league challenge, though, so she knows it's all a _lie_. Not that she doesn't love the little guy all the same), the shine in Sonia's eyes, the gloss of her lips, that idle twirl, going around and around and around just like the one controlling the finger.

It's frustrating, and it takes everything Nessa has not to come on too strong. She doesn't want to give Sonia the impression that she wants to… fix her, or something. Nessa loves Sonia. A _lot_. Sonia doesn't _need_ to know where she's going just yet. She doesn't _need_ to have everything figured out. They're barely out of their teens, after all. They've got all the time in the world, even if seeing kids take on her gym every year makes Nessa feel older and older each time.

Really, it's not like Nessa's got everything figured out, either. She knows she appears collected and confident all the time, and she is to an extent, but she still escapes to her lonely pier, or to the lighthouse if she _has_ to be available but still wants to be alone. When she really wants to get away, sometimes she'll just take her boat and sail until she is needed back or until she touches the horizon.

But even still, it's frustrating watching Sonia go around in circles, so lost. Nessa knows she needs to find her own direction, and she knows if she tries to tell Sonia what's so obvious to her, she'll only come off as condescending. After all, Sonia's grandmother says the same thing all the time. The way Sonia's eyes light up with some new interesting thing to discover, the absolute gibberish she somehow understands with Raihan, studying history is so obviously Sonia's thing that it's physically painful to just watch how she waffles and twiddles her thumbs as opportunities pass her by.

Nessa knows who she is, and she knows who Sonia is, as much as anyone who isn't Sonia herself can. Nessa just hopes that bringing excuses like these fished up idols will eventually let Sonia open her eyes to what's right in front of her.

There'll be more opportunities, though. They're still young. Young, and free to sail away to the horizon if they really need to. Free to simply float and drift if that's what they choose. Even a gym leader and a lab assistant have that luxury still, no matter how old those excitable challengers make them feel sometimes. Sonia will find her way. After all, it's not just Nessa who's here for her.

Professor Magnolia, of course, will bend the world backwards for her granddaughter. She can be firm if she needs to, can be strict if she must, but there's no hiding her adoration for Sonia. Raihan, too, he just _gets_ Sonia on a level that even Nessa struggles with. They're such different people, but their interests are enough to keep them together and keep them talking when the rest of the room has no idea what the two are going on about anymore. And, of course, Sonia's old rival, the undefeated champ himself. One of Sonia's oldest friends, and someone Nessa has gotten to know as both a friend and coworker over the years just like Raihan. Sonia introduced her to both of them, but… well, Nessa doesn't think those two think of it this way, but from Nessa's perspective if Raihan is her brother, Leon is Sonia's.

The brother joke started because of how similar Nessa and Raihan look, but Leon and Sonia grew up together. They set out on their journey together. They've known each other since they were old enough to know anything and they're the best of friends even now. If that's not family, Nessa isn't sure what is.

Professor Magnolia comes to inspect Nessa's delivery. There's something there, something referencing the dynamax phenomenon, but even Nessa already knew that much. The relics don't exactly have subtle imagery. The professor seems interested in them, like she's examining a cup of tea to see if it's just right, but Sonia bounces up and starts explaining to her gran about Raihan's find in the depths of the Hammerlocke vault and Nessa's dive to recover these pieces and everything that they can mean.

And Nessa and Professor Magnolia share a look with each other, the look of knowing, and together they open the way for Sonia to take the charge on investigating these relics. They just offer her an avenue, really, and it's Sonia's own idea to take it. She gets so carried away that Nessa and the professor hardly need to push.

Nessa helps them repack the artifacts and carries the case for them as they head together over to the lab, where they meet another unexpected guest.

Leon smiles and waves when he sees them. "Hey, guys!"

"Leon!" Sonia exclaims. "We weren't expecting you! Are you back for Hop's birthday?"

Oh, right. Nessa honestly forgot that Leon's brother is turning nine tomorrow. Leon has been fretting over it all month, of course, but Nessa hasn't thought much about it past that. It's not like she knows Hop all that well, after all. Only his older brother and older brother's oldest rival.

That's why when the two old friends start chatting about the party, and Nessa finds herself being ordered to come by _both_ of them, she's startled.

She shouldn't stay. She really shouldn't. She's already ducked out of her gym for an impromptu diving expedition, and then took the first excuse she got to come here for today to start with. It _is_ the off-season, but that doesn't mean she can neglect her work.

But… it's an excuse. A good one, too. Nessa has stayed in Wedgehurst for worse reasons than the champion's brother's birthday party. Maybe she can even teach the kid a thing or two or show off a bit to make up for not having a present. She's sure at least Leon and Sonia will get a kick out of it. So, what the heck? She may as well see where this wave takes her.

* * *

Leon is the champion. He's the undefeated champ, best trainer in Galar, some even say in the world. No other champion in any other region has the kind of streak Leon does. Nessa would be lying if she says she isn't a bit envious.

That said, Leon is the champion. He's the champion, and more importantly he's a big brother, but really, past that, he's just a good guy. He's too much the champion. Nessa worries about him. One of these years, he will lose. Even Leon himself knows and acknowledges that. And once he does, once he's not champion anymore, who will he be? Nessa can see his core, his fire, his soaring heart, but still she worries.

When people know each other as long as they have, they tend to pick up things from each other. Or maybe it's the similarities that keep them together. Either way, It's more than little habits. Raihan tries too hard to pretend he's cool, and Nessa tries hard to keep unmoored, but the truth is both of them know that both of them are mother hens through and through. Sonia doesn't know what to do with what's right in front of her, and Leon doesn't know what to do without it, but the truth is neither of them know exactly where they are. They're lost at sea, one with all the ropes and rigging but not knowing how to tie a knot, and one with nothing at all but a sail, stuck at the wind and water's mercy. Neither can move that way.

That's what Nessa thinks, anyway, but she's a mother hen so she'll always be worrying about them one way or another.

Hop's birthday party is a wondrous affair. It reminds Nessa a little of Hulbury's market, or Turffield's regular farmer's market. All of Postwick and a lot of Wedgehurst show up, Leon's family makes some barbecue, and other families help out, too. It's all so friendly and welcoming and familial. Everyone seems to know everyone. Even Hop perks up and yells welcomes to some seemingly random folks Nessa is convinced she's never even seen before. Every time someone new arrives, there's a new ripple through the party.

Honestly, Nessa feels a little out of place. She knows that this small-town community is close, but this is a little out of Nessa's depth. It's nice, she's more than welcomed, but Nessa just isn't the type for massive community gatherings like this. Anytime she's surrounded by so many people, she feels the call of the sea ever more keenly. That tug towards the ocean, to set off and see what's waiting, to cast her line and to reel in something big.

It's not the people, _per se_, and Nessa obviously has no problem with being watched. If she ever did, years of modelling and battling in the arena have long washed that out. It's just the space. On the ocean, the sea stretches for as far as the eye can see. She can pick a direction and just _go_. And boats are small, isolated. Her crew is there, of course, and it can sometimes get a little cramped depending on the expedition, but that's where Nessa is at peace. With the salt in her hair and the world at her fingertips. Crowds all milling about, even big cities, to a certain extent, make her feel trapped. There's no horizon just a breath away, instead there's someone's head, or a wall of brick, and after long enough in a situation like that Nessa just needs some time to sit, feel the spray of the sea, the smell of it, and _be_.

Not that that'll stop her. She's a gym leader, and she's Nessa. She can do whatever she needs to. If that means mingling in a party, then that's what she'll do. It's not like she doesn't have experience with it. Besides, Sonia sticks by her side the whole time, so Nessa feels, for once, at home inside a crowd.

And Sonia seems to be enjoying herself. She's been here hundreds of times before, both at Leon's place and other places around Wedgehurst and Postwick. They're all one big family here, and Nessa appreciates family.

It's… nice. To be welcomed as one of them. Like she's just some cousin come back after a trip rather than a near stranger to most of these people.

But Nessa feels a tug on her hand, and when she looks Sonia is grabbing her and winking playfully, and how can Nessa do anything but let this wave take her wherever they're meant to go? She follows Nessa out of the bulk of the party, towards a large, quaint house – Leon's family's – and drags her inside. Giggling like a schoolgirl sneaking out to play a prank, Sonia guides Nessa up the stairs to a door.

"I just remembered you've never seen this before." Sonia giggles. Airy and light like a cloud. Nessa is confused, and a little embarrassed, because she's pretty sure this is Leon's room and she's not sure about snooping around Leon's things when he's still busy outside at the party. "Prepare yourself for a fashion travesty."

Nessa giggles, too, at those words. Like Leon's cape isn't already a fashion travesty. Nessa will never be caught dead saying it suits him. What can he possibly be hiding in the depths of his childhood room?

With a teasing "shush," Sonia opens the door. Nessa steps inside, not sure what to expect. But… definitely not expecting this. Yes, Leon's love of hats is well-known, but… "Yikes." Nessa says quietly.

Hats adorn the walls in rows and on shelves like they're in a clothing store instead of a bedroom. There's nothing inherently wrong with the hats themselves, save a few that Nessa will give Leon the benefit of the doubt on – he must have been collecting these as a child – but the excess is just _obscene_.

Raihan will love this so much. Nessa takes her phone out and snaps a picture. It's horribly inappropriate, she knows, but _come on_. This is ridiculous, and not only can Nessa laugh about the hats, she can also tease Raihan about getting to see Leon's childhood bedroom first. (They've been friends for a long time, but they met on their challenge and since then Leon's been the champion – even as a youngster he spent more time in Wyndon than he should. All of their visits were then, when they weren't interrupting his rare time with family.)

"I know, right?" Sonia laughs. "He's horrible."

"Who's horrible?"

The girls jump and spin around to see Leon, smugly standing right behind them. "Wha- Lee!" Sonia groans. "How'd you know we were coming up here?"

Leon laughs. "Like I'd miss you two disappearing from the party. I hope I wasn't interrupting anything." He's borderline sneering when he meets Nessa's eyes. Against her will, she blushes.

"Only us judging your hat shrines." Sonia shoots back.

"Hey, those are awesome!"

"Oh, Leon…" Sonia shakes her head sadly. "No… they're super lame…"

"Well, I… I don't judge you, Miss twenty-decorative-berets!"

"Uh, excuse you, these are _cute_."

"My hats are _cool_."

Nessa snorts. "About as cool as Raihan."

Leon beams. "Ha! See? Nessa agrees with me."

Sonia giggles. "Oh, honey, she wasn't agreeing with you."

"Huh? But Rai's the coolest!"

Nessa shakes her head. "He's just a big dork, really."

Leon gasps dramatically. "Nessa! Don't be mean to your brother!"

Nessa just laughs at that and laughs and laughs and the other two quit their bickering to join her. There's an ache in her gut and she's got tears in her eyes, but it's good. So good. Deep, soft, the kind of ache that reminds her she's home, and it's been too long since she's been. The kind of ache that reminds her that no matter where they are, they know who they are. They're family.

Maybe she should find some more excuses soon.


End file.
